Paper-cutter



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY G. SPRAKER, OF BICH HILL, MISSOURI.

PAPER-CUTTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 444,106, dated January6, 1891.

Application filed August 14, 1890. Serial No. 361,980. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY G. SPRAKER, a citizen of the United States,residing at Rich Hill, in the county of Bates and State of Missouri,have invented certain new and useful Inprovements in Paper-Cutters; andI do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exactdescription of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in theart to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to wrapping-paper cutters adapted for use witheither roll paper or folded strips or sheets; and the object sought tobe accomplished is to produce a simple, cheap, and durable constructionand arrangement of parts in which the paper is cut squarely and cleanlyoif, after which the parts will assume a position leaving the end of thepaper projecting, so that it can be easily grasped by the fingers totear of a second piece.

With these ends in View my invention consists in certain peculiarties ofConstruction and combinations of parts more fully described hereinafter,and pointed out in the claims.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents aperspectiveView of my complete device, showing the parts in the position theyassume when the paper is being cut off; Fig. 2, a similar View with theparts in their normal position; Fig. 3, an end view, and Fig. et acentral cross-section.

The reference-letter a indicates the top piece of any suitableframe-work to which the device can be attached-such as a storecounter,table, or desk-and this top is cut ont at b to eXpose the cutter andallow ready access to the same to facilitate manipulation, a strip cconstituting part of the framework bneath the top a, crossing theopening b, and being provided with a vertical lengthwise slot d,extending through its center and the full length of said opening. Across-slot e is made through the lower part of this strip C andintersects the vertical slot d, and the paper f is threaded through thiscross-slot, as seen in Fig. 4, while a rectangular piece of metal g isdropped down in the vertical slot and rests upon said paper where itcrosses said slot, acting as a weight to prevent the paper from slippingback and preserve the proper tension.

A pair of angular brackets h are secured to the front side of the stripc, and in the outer ends of their projectingarms are jour` naled thepinions j of the knife k, which is made wedge-shaped, with its upperportion beyond the pivots heavier to overbalance the lower cuttingportion, for a purpose hereinafter explained.

Back of the knife-pivots or trunnions, but in line therewith, arepivotally hung the opposite ends of a bent-wire frame l, which consistsof a pair of V-shaped hooks or loops m, formed at its opposite ends bybending the wire up and then doubling it and carryrying it back upbehind the knife. These hooks inclose the lower portion of the knife atthe opposite ends of the same, while the back wire connecting the hooksforms a straight rod 97 extending across behind the lower edge of theknife, as seen more clearly in Figs. 3 and 4.

After the paper has been threaded through the slit e it is passedthrough between the knife and the wire rod n, and it will be seen thatupon pulling out the end of the paper it will act to throw up the loweredge of the knife; but the latter being confined at its opposite ends inthe hooks m strikes against the front arms of the latter and carriesthem up with it to the position shown in Fig. l, with the back rod nclamping the paper between it and the back side of the knife, when 110further upward movement of the parts can take place, and the paper canthen be cut cleanly and squarely off. After this has been done theoperator strikes the lower edge of the knife with his thumb or finger tothrow it down and its weighted upper portion will act to Carry it backto its original position, the wire frame Zbeing also allowed to dropback and release its hold on the paper; but the latteris held fromslipping back by the weight g, and hence when the knife and frame drop`they leave the end of the paper projecting, so that it can be easilygrasped by the operator When another piece is to be cut off. Besidesthis advantage, the device possesses that of adaptability for at IOOtachment to any ordinary counter, table, sheh?, or similar structure andcan be eheaply made and easily applied.

The paper can either be wound upon a suitable core and hung in bearingssecured beneath the counter or used in 'folded strip or sheet, as seenin Fig. 4, which can be stacked behind the eutter and fed through thelatter in the same manuer as roll-paper. The advantage possessed by thislatter method is that the paper can be more ecenomieally and safelyshipped and stored.

It is evident that many slight changes which might suggest themselves toa skilled mechanic could be resorted to without departing from thespirit and scepe of ny invention, and hence I do not wish to limitmyself te the precise construetion herein shown.

Havingthusdeseribed myinvention, what I claim as new, and desire tesecure by Letters Patent, is

l. In a paper-Culter, the combination of a pivoted knife, a redextendin, across the same, and connectieus between said red and knifewhereby the novement of the latter causes the red te clamp the paperbetween it and the knife, as and fer the purpose set forth.

2. In a paper-cutter, the eenbination of a pivoted knife, a wire redarranged behind the same, and hooks at opposite ends of said rods and inwhich the ends of the knife are adapted te be centained, whereby theupward movement of the latter eauses the back red to elanp the paperbetween it and the knife, as and for the purpose set forth.

3. In a paper-cutter, the combinaton of a pivoted knife having aweighted upper portion andawire framepivoted backot said knife andconsisting of a straight red extending across the latter and having apair of hooks at its opposite ends eonfining the ends of the knife,whereby the upward movement of the latter causes the straight red toelanp the paper between it and the knife, ae and fer the purposedescribed.

et. In a paper cutter the combination of the framework having a slotunder which the paper passes and a' Weight loosely eentained within theslot and adapted to rest upon the paper and prevent its slipping back,substantially as set ferth.

5. In a paper-cutter, the combination of the frame work having anupwardly-directed slot intersected by a transverse slot through whichthe paper is threaded and a weight loosely contained within thefirst-named slot and adapted to rest upon the paper and prevent itsslipping back,-substantially as set forth.

(i. In a paper-cutter, the eombination of a piveted knife having aweighted upper portion and a weight loosely contained within a verticalslot, across which the paper passes and thence beneath the knife,substantially as described.

7. In a paper-cutter, the combination of a piveted knife, a wire framefuleruned back of the latter and consisting of a straight red havinghooks at its eppesite ends confining said knife, and a weight arrangedte bear upon the paper and prevent it from slipping back, all arrangedand adapted to eperate in the manner and for the purpose substantiallyas described.

In testimeny whereof I affix my signature in piesence of two witnesses.

HENRY G. SPRAKER. witnesses:

A. STEWART, H. GOLDEN.

